Thursday, November 12, 2020 |
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We pray for the renewal of cooperation and for the president-elect as he assumes the great honor of representing and leading the people of this country |
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Statement by Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM, President and Chief Executive Officer, Catholic Health Association of
the United States
The Catholic Health Association of the United States extends its congratulations to president-elect Joseph R. Biden. As people of faith, we join the voices of those working to unify our country and look forward to working with the new administration to promote the common good for all. We take great pride that upon his inauguration, he will be the second Catholic ever elected to the highest office
in the country. We pray and lend our support for president-elect Joe Biden, vice president-elect Kamala Harris and the administration as they move forward with their transition plans.
Each day, our nation is suffering a profound crisis, with over 237,000 lives lost, 30 million Americans relying on unemployment assistance, and health care workers continuing to fight COVID-19 surges. We hear from our caregivers daily about what they still need to help them serve their communities, fighting both the health and economic battle against the pandemic. We pray for all those affected by the virus and as citizens and caregivers, we uphold our responsibility to share with leadership our insights on how to best tackle the obstacles before us.
As Pope Francis so eloquently stated to Congress five years ago, “the challenges facing us today call for a renewal of that spirit of cooperation, which has accomplished so much good throughout the history of the United States.” We pray for that renewal of cooperation and for the president-elect as he assumes the great honor of representing and leading the people of this country.
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'There is much to be hopeful for' |
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The Enfield Montessori School has certainly taken advantage of a balmy fall in the Northeast to spend a lot of time outdoors.
Head of School Cliona Beaulieu said, “We are beyond grateful to cross the threshold of 50 days of in-person instruction, to have had the opportunity to get to know the children again, and to cram as much as we can into lessons and instruction.”
She continued, “All the additional protocols of sanitizing and social distancing, not to mention teaching in a mask for eight hours means our staff leave weary each and every day. Getting outside, taking nature walks, having outdoor lessons have all eased the stress of the times we are in.
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“The Chiaravalle Academy middle school students have taken on an outdoor project that we hope the whole campus will enjoy. Based on Picasso’s Dove of Peace and with a theme of sustainability, the children have made a large painting on panels of wood. Last year, before the lockdown, they enlisted everyone on the campus to collect used bottle caps. These have been washed, sorted by color and a hole punched in each one. The next step is to attach the caps to the panels. The new mural will be mounted on the freshly- painted side of St. Clare’s Chicken Coop.
“Students, parents and alumni have all been pitching in to help renovate this little building that was in need of much love. A new metal roof, paint, trim and floorboards have enhanced the building while the students are constructing garden beds and a little patio.
“Still very much a work in progress, the project has proved purposeful for the students, reminding us all that there is much to be hopeful for.”
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A Reflection on the NRVC 2020 Virtual Convocation |
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by S Grace Marie Del Priore
Recently, I attended the National Religious Vocation Conference 2020 Virtual Convocation held from October 28-31.
Members of the Felician formation team were able to invite guests, and I was one of them. Guests at the NRVC Convocation receive a grant to attend if they fulfill several requirements. One is to write a brief essay about being hopeful in religious life.
This is in response to the theme of the convocation, 2020 Vision: Focus on Hope. The branded statement that repeated throughout the convocation was I believe God is still calling women and men to holiness --- and I am filled with abundant hope.
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There were several prompts to choose from. The one I chose was:
What makes you hopeful about religious life
amid the changing demographics?
In one of the talks, the speaker described hope as springing from our roots. Returning to those roots reminds us of all our reasons for hope. They were the source of hope from the beginning of my journey and still are. I feel deeply God’s call for me, my vocation to live in union with Him. God’s personal love for me drew me to religious life and continues to inspire and guide me. I felt set apart for God. Centering on Him in prayer and contemplation, finding Him in the present moment, leaves me rooted in
a personal hope that keeps me moving forward. It keeps me zealous to move forward, despite obstacles and personal difficulties. For me, God is a God of the journey, who accompanies me.
Each year, as part of my annual retreat, I reflect on my roots. I recall why I became a Franciscan and a sister and am blessed by the life-giving hope of the grace of God again and still. When I reflect on why
I choose it now, I realize that my reasons are similar, yet deeper. My roots go further into the soil as I grow, supporting the growth. I find unlimited hope in my personal growth. Since I’ve been in community, I’ve been growing in needed ways, becoming more wholistic and complete. Looking back, I can see personal development that religious life and community life bring out in me, and I am encouraged by who I’ve become and who I’m becoming.
For me, God is a God of the journey, who accompanies me.
I also experience a personal call through the Catholic Church. When I was in college, discerning my path in life, starting out in the world, I was confused and discouraged. The world seemed limited and disappointing. I found solace at Mass, and in churches in general. I would listen to the prayers, the readings, the intentions, and find inspiration and hope. When the prayer intention was for those called
to religious life, there was an internal spark of recognition, and I would ask God if it was an invitation to me. I read Church documents and papal encyclicals in search of answers and found inspiration, beautiful ideals that I aspired to. More than that, they seemed possible with God. I realized that God wasn’t limited, and that his loving power is at work in the world. There was, then, unlimited potential for goodness in the world, and in me. I could be better, holier, more loving… more. Because of God working through the Catholic Church.
I’m encouraged and inspired by our rich history as a Congregation, the way we live our charism today, and our openness to the Holy Spirit’s guidance into the future. I find hope in our past, the patrimony of our charism and values. The sisters who came before me are truly the shoulders I’m standing on. The wisdom of our elders and the graces of our past are the foundation I build upon. The witness of our lives is even more powerful. The love and acceptance we have for each other is a sign to others of what is possible for the world, with God at the center of our lives. It’s also a reminder that who we are is primary, to others and to God. The values we embrace and the virtues we take to heart become a key part of who we are and what we bring into our relationships with others. This manifests itself in our actions, but it is more about being than doing.
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The love and acceptance we have
for each other is a sign to others
of what is possible for the world,
with God at the center of our lives.
The relationships I’ve built with sisters, true companions on the journey, support and foster my hope for the world and humanity. They make the world a better place. From the beginning, the charity of our sisters in living our mission in response to the signs of the time has inspired me. Together, we can do so much! When we respond to the signs of the times, giving freely where we are needed, both the world and the community are blessed for it. We move into the future together, our hearts open to the needs of the world and to our sisters. As we move forward, our family of sisters expands to include other religious communities. By coming together in ministry and relationship, we sisters better live our mission and strengthen our witness of being sister. Participating in organizations that bring together different communities helps us accomplish this. Together, we also discern the signs of the times and how to respond to the needs of the world.
I have found so much hope in God’s call for me and in religious life! I see it in myself, the Felician community, and the ways religious communities are coming together to make the kingdom come. It’s also evident in how our compassion affects the world, the real difference we make through the witness of our lives and our outreach to a suffering world.
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St. Felix Centre Thrives on Many Generous Donations |
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Iris Bartraw, program manager at St. Felix Centre in Toronto, Ont, Canada, arrived to pick up another van load of donations from the generous parishioners of St. Clement Parish in Etobicoke, Ont, Canada, that included men’s clothing, coffee mugs, water bottles, packaged food items and more!
In the photo at right, the two bags between Iris and S Christina Marie Kazimirek are filled with knitted toques and scarves from the parish "Yak ‘n Yarn" ladies. Sister Christina said, “These ladies have a lot of extra time during this time of pandemic restrictions, so they keep busy knitting. St. Felix Centre was the recipient of their November donation." Ann Chalmer keeps herself busy sewing much needed aprons, modelled by Iris.
Sister Christina said, “We are so blessed by these awesome parishioners. We pray in thanksgiving for them!”
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OLSH Students Clean Up Local Road |
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Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School in Coraopolis, PA, had a day off from school on Friday, November 6.
Though the school was closed for the day, Mission Leader Jeff Hulbert saw it as a chance to provide an opportunity for students to put the Felician Core Values into action.
By 9 a.m., Hulbert, Coach Mac and his wife Susan McDonald, led five students in the cleaning of the sides of Ewing Road in Moon Township. Mrs. McDonald, a former school counselor and moderator of National Honor Society at OLSH, was instrumental in starting this program about 13 years ago. Even though she now works for Mooncrest Neighborhood Programs, she still enjoys helping the OLSH students with the clean-up.
Even with just seven people, the group was able to complete cleaning the highway in a couple of hours.
“We could not have asked for a more perfect day weather-wise,” said Hulbert. “The last couple of years we had to pick up amongst a dusting of snow; this year, it was sunny and cool at first, but warmed up by the time the job was completed.” The group collected nine bags of garbage and a few larger items.
OLSH continues to serve its local neighborhoods and build upon good relationships by maintaining the highway. The group looks forward to maintaining the road again in the spring.
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Dear Sisters, Associates and Friends,
Your prayers are requested for Josephine Wienckoski, mother of Sister Mary Charles Wienckoski, who is being put on hospice care. Pray for a peaceful death for her and strength for the family as they make this hard decision.
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Prayer Vigils for Those Scheduled for Federal Executions
Also, you are invited to sign up to attend the three virtual prayer vigils Catholic Mobilizing Network will hold in lamentation of these planned executions. Please click here to sign up.
As Catholics, we are called to uphold the dignity of all human life. Thank you for answering that call by advocating for the lives of our brothers and sisters on death row.
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A Conversation with Sisters of Selma
Tuesday, November 17
2 p.m. CT | 3 p.m. ET | 1 p.m. MT | 12 p.m. PT
Global Sisters Report invites you to join Witness & Grace: A Conversation with Sisters of Selma with professor emerita Carol Coburn, who conducted our Q&A series, Mercy Sr. Patricia McCann and Therese Stawowy, who was a Sister of Loretto when she marched in Selma. Our guests will share their experiences in this part of the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, how it influenced their lives and ministries, and their insights on the parallels and differences with the ongoing struggle to counter structural racism today.
The cries for racial justice and equity ring loud and clear in these times. Since the brutal killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmed Arbery and others earlier this year, we have witnessed an outpouring of activism and demands that we confront the evils of structural racism. What they learned then continues to speak to us today.
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“To be involved in politics is an obligation for a Christian. … To work for the common good is a duty of a Christian! And so many times the place to work in is politics."
--Pope Francis (7 June 2013)
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SM Cabrini Procopio
S Carol Marie Wiatrek
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SM Albertine Stachowski
SM Leopolda Buczek
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Copyright © 2020 Felician Sisters of North America. All rights reserved. |
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